The heaviest heavyweight champions in history as Andy Ruiz weighs in at over 20 STONE for Anthony Joshua fight

The heaviest heavyweight champions in history as Andy Ruiz weighs in at over 20 STONE for Anthony Joshua fight

Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua 2: Who wins the world heavyweight title rematch?

Anthony Joshua attempts to avenge defeat in his massive rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr, but who will claim victory in another huge world heavyweight title fight?

A lot was made about Andy Ruiz Jr’s weight when he fought Anthony Joshua in their first fight back in June.

But the Mexican-American shocked the world when he took AJ’s heavyweight titles and will defend them in their highly-anticipated rematch in Saudi Arabia tonight.

Ruiz had suggested he would slim down for part 2, but on Friday he surprisingly weighed in 15lbs heavier than he did in the summer.

He tipped the scales at 20 stone 3lbs – more than three stone heavier than his opponent Joshua, who weighed in at 16 stone 13lbs.

But where does Ruiz rank among the heaviest heavyweights?

Ahead of the fight tonight, talkSPORT.com looks at the big hitters who tipped the scales (quite literally) when they struck gold in the ring.

1. Nikolay Valuev – 324 lbs on December 17, 2005

The ‘Beast from the East’ took the mantle of the heaviest fighter from Carnera, who held the accolade for more than 70 years when he beat John Ruiz in 2005.

The 7ft Russian, who retired in 2009 with a 50-2 record and tipped the scales for his WBA title on December 17 at 324lbs, which Valuev former eventually won on points.

Having subsequently lost the title to Ruslan Chagaev, Valuev regained it once again at Ruiz’ expense in 2008, but weighed in seven pounds lighter for that fight.

2. Andy Ruiz Jr – 283lbs on December 7, 2019

Ruiz was ridiculed for his perceived bloated image heading into the first fight with Joshua, for which he weighed 268lbs.

Little did Ruiz’s critics know he would produce a masterful display against the former Olympic gold medallist, displaying a series of devastating jabs, with his quick hands causing Joshua all sorts of problems.

He suggested he would lose weight for part 2 in Saudi Arabia tonight but, at Friday’s weigh-in, he tipped the scales at 20 stone 3lbs – 15lbs heavier.

It makes Ruiz the second-heaviest defending champion in heavyweight history.

3. Primo Carnera – 260lbs on June, 29 1933

A legendary boxer from a bygone era, Italian heavyweight Primo Carnera had quite the career.

He incredibly racked up a total of 103 fights during an action-packed career, winning 89 of those bouts.

It was on June 29 1933 when Carnera weighed in at the heaviest he had ever done in his career, at 260lbs, before going to win his one and only world title with a sixth round knockout of former champion, Jack Sharkey.

Carnera, otherwise known as the ‘The Ambling Alp’, produced two successful title defences before losing his belts a year later.

4. Anthony Joshua – 254lbs on October, 29 2017

Despite claims form Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, that he would weigh around 235–240ibs for the fight, Joshua officially weighed in a career-heavy 254lbs, while his opponent Carlos Takam was 235lbs.

Joshua came into the fight off the back of edging a thrilling win against legendary heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko in April – where he was four pounds lighter. Interestingly, AJ was 19lbs heavier than Takam, who gave a good account of himself in Cardiff on fight night.

In front of nearly 80,000 fans at a raucous Principality Stadium, Joshua retained his world titles with what many believed was a premature stoppage in round 10. He went on to defeat Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin, before suffering a shock defeat to Ruiz Jr.

5. Lennox Lewis – 251lbs on February 7, 1997

Lennox ‘the Lion’ Lewis was a three-time world heavyweight champion, a two-time lineal champion, and remains the last heavyweight to hold the undisputed title. There’s therefore no surprise he’s commonly regarded as the the greatest British boxer of all time.

His impressive career record of 41-2-1 from 44 career fights underlined his dominance in that heavyweight boxing era.

Lewis tended to hover around the 240lbs mark during his peak years, however, when he faced Oliver McCall for the vacant WBA title in February 1997, the West Ham-born boxer tipped the scales at 251lbs. Lewis stopped McCall in the fifth round to clinch the title with an impressive display, which he held on to for just shy of four years until he surprisingly lost to Hasim Rahman in April 2001.

6. Samuel Peter – 250 ¾lbs on March 8, 2008

Samuel Peter had built up a decent professional boxing career, which saw him win 35 of his 40 fights and achieve 27 knockouts, before getting his big title shot against Oleg Maskaev in March 2008.

The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ scored a sixth round knockout to secure the WBC title, although he didn’t hold on to the belt for long, losing it in his first defence against Vitali Klitschko.

7. George Foreman – 250lbs on November 5, 1994

Foreman reportedly made more outside of the ring with his his ‘lean, mean, fat reducing grilling machine’, which is said to have secured him a very tidy sum in excess of £150million from endorsements.

He was a dead handy boxer, though, and one of the best heavyweight boxers of his time, winning two world heavyweight titles during his career.

In November 1994, the 45-year-old weighed in at 250lbs for his fight against Michael Moorer – 19 years his junior.

his age, it was the veteran who came out on top, knocking Moorer out in the 10th round and subsequently capturing the WBA and IBF heavyweight belts, while also becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr 2: what time is the fight tonight, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?

What is it? It’s the rematch of Andy Ruiz Jr vs Anthony Joshua, following their first fight in June this year.

What time is the fight likely to start? Saudi Arabia is three hours ahead of the UK and the fight is expected to start at 9pm GMT.

Have they ever met before? Yes, hence the rematch aspect. They met for the first time in June this year. Ruiz Jr produced one of the greatest upsets in heavyweight boxing history as he stopped Joshua via TKO in the seventh round.

What are their records? Anthony Joshua has been defeated once in 23 fights, winning 22. 21 of those have been by KO.

Andy Ruiz Jr has fought 34 times, winning 33. 22 of those wins have been by KO.

What are they saying?Ruiz on facing Joshua again: “I’m confident about the rematch, but I don’t underestimate any fighter. I know AJ’s going to come stronger and more focused but inside the gym, like Mike Tyson says, everyone has a plan until they get hit.”

“I’m sure everybody was trying to look for an excuse and reason why he didn’t perform and why he lost. I think it was down to the style. Styles make fights and I’ve been calling AJ out for a while. I knew his style was perfect for me and that’s why I plan to do the same thing.”

Joshua on facing Ruiz for a second time: “It’s about how you come back. I have a different challenge in my head. When you’ve walked the road once, you can do it again.”​

“I am looking at myself in the mirror and saying I know I’m better than that [losing last time round]. Andy is still the same person. He will come game and I’ve got to change some of my bits and bobs.”​

This came as a shock to many observers who had seen pictures of Ruiz Jr in training and assumed he’d lost weight.

The man himself even promised he’d be lighter second time around.

Ruiz Jr told USA Today: “I want to be more toned. Just shock the world even more, you know? I’ll have more ability, more speed, more power if I turn the little flab I have into muscle.

“I’m not trying to be with six-pack abs and big muscles and all that. None of that, you know. But just look a little different and more lean.

“That’s something I’m working on now, choosing the right foods. If not, I would be eating a three-patty hamburger with bacon and all kinds of cheese.

“People need to understand that I came this far being chubby and all that. Imagine how far I could go actually being in good shape and looking good.

“It’s going to work in my advantage. I know it’s going to work. I’m going to feel a lot better and have more ability. I’d love to be at 250/255lbs, but just be fit and be solid.

“Now that I have the right team behind me and the right equipment and all that, I think it’s going to work out for my benefit and it’s going to work out in my favour.

“The main thing is just to stay focused.’’

Anthony Joshua’s body transformation also caught the eye as he weighed in significantly lighter than the first fight.

The Brit came in at 16st 13lbs (237lbs), having weighed 17st 9lbs 12oz (247.8lbs) back in June.

This is the lightest AJ has ever been for a world title fight.

The last time Joshua dropped anywhere close to this weight was for the unification win over Joseph Parker.

Joshua, who has played down the significance of the weigh-in all week, said: “Sparring governs your weight. If I am 100kg and I am doing OK in sparring, then that’s the right weight because sparring is the closest you get to fighting.

“The weight doesn’t really matter but I am what I am and I feel good. If he is three stones heavier, I will definitely be beating him to the punch.”

Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr: Mourinho predicts winner of rematch

Ruiz stunned the boxing world when he knocked Joshua down four times before stopping him in the seventh round of their heavyweight world title fight in June.

The 30-year-old will put his three belts back on the line in the rematch when they clash in the desert of Saudi Arabia tonight.

Speaking ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Burnley on Saturday evening, Mourinho, who insisted that he was invited to watch Joshua’s heavyweight rematch with Ruiz Jr by Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was quoted by the Sun UK as saying: “That’s the only bad thing for me in getting the job at Tottenham – that I’m not going to be there.

“I was invited by the Prince to be there, but I prefer to be in the match against Burnley.”

Pushed as to whether he expected a Joshua victory, Mourinho replied: “I’m not an expert. I just love the sport. I like Anthony very much because he’s a great kid and I hope he wins. But in sport you can lose. So let’s see.”

What is our prediction? As good as Andy Ruiz was last time out, we can’t see any way Joshua gets beaten here again. If he is, then there will be serious questions about his future in the sport. Joshua by TKO in round eight.